[Funding for 3.5 years, stipend (£20,780 p.a) and international fees via Horizon Europe, Synergy grant 'Ecological Archaeologies of the Afrotropics (EcoArch)', project 101224871.] The University of Reading invites applications for a fully funded PhD studentship in Environmental Science, focusing on pollen-based reconstruction of Holocene climates of Africa. This interdisciplinary project aims to use pollen records from lake and bog sediments to quantitatively reconstruct climate changes across Africa over the past 12,000 years. By applying advanced statistical and computational approaches to existing palaeoenvironmental databases, the successful candidate will investigate how climate variability has impacted vegetation productivity and the human resource base, providing insights into the adoption of agriculture and broader ecological changes. The PhD student will join the SPECIAL group, an active research team within Geography and Environmental Science at Reading, and collaborate with international partners in the EcoArch project, including the University of Oslo, Penn State University, and research centres across Africa. While the project is primarily computational, there may be opportunities to participate in fieldwork activities associated with EcoArch. Funding is provided through the Horizon Europe Synergy grant 'Ecological Archaeologies of the Afrotropics (EcoArch)', covering a stipend of £20,780 per annum and international tuition fees for 3.5 years. The project is open to students worldwide. Applicants should hold at least a UK Upper Second (2:1) bachelor’s degree or equivalent, or a master’s degree in environmental science or a closely related discipline. Strong quantitative and programming skills (R, Python), familiarity with palaeoenvironmental data, and an interest in environmental modelling are essential. To apply, use the provided application link to create an account and begin the process. Please quote reference ‘DRC26-006’ in the ‘Scholarships applied for’ box within the Funding Section of your online application. If prompted for a research proposal, simply paste the project title. The application deadline is 15 March 2026. For further enquiries, contact Dr. Sandy P. Harrison at [email protected]. Successful candidates will receive a formal studentship award letter, subject to eligibility and standard checks.

[Funding for 3.5 years, stipend (£20,780 p.a) and international fees via Horizon Europe, Synergy grant 'Ecological Archaeologies of the Afrotropics (EcoArch)', project 101224871.] The University of Reading invites applications for a fully funded PhD studentship in Environmental Science, focusing on vegetation-fire interactions in Africa during the Holocene. This interdisciplinary project aims to reconstruct vegetation and wildfire regimes across the African continent over the past 12,000 years, leveraging the increasing availability of pollen and charcoal data and advances in reconstruction techniques. The research will analyse the causes of observed changes and assess the relative importance of climate change and human activities as drivers on different timescales. The successful candidate will join the SPECIAL group, an interdisciplinary research team within Geography and Environmental Science at the University of Reading. The PhD is funded through the Horizon Europe Synergy grant for the project 'Ecological Archaeologies of the Afrotropics (EcoArch)', providing a stipend of £20,780 per annum and covering international fees for 3.5 years. The student will have opportunities to collaborate with project partners at the University of Oslo, Penn State University, and research centres across Africa, and may participate in EcoArch fieldwork activities. This computationally based project is ideal for students with a strong background in environmental science or a closely related discipline, who possess well-developed quantitative and programming skills (R, Python), familiarity with palaeoenvironmental data, and an interest in environmental modelling to address real-world challenges. Applicants should hold at least a UK Upper Second (2:1) bachelor’s degree or equivalent, or a master’s degree in environmental sciences or a related field. The position is open to students worldwide. To apply, candidates should use the provided application link, create an account, and quote the reference ‘DRC26-007’ in the ‘Scholarships applied for’ box within the Funding Section of the online application. If prompted for a research proposal, simply paste the project title. The application deadline is March 15, 2026, with an envisaged start date in May 2026. For further enquiries, contact Dr. Sandy P. Harrison at [email protected]. Successful candidates will receive a formal studentship award letter, subject to standard eligibility checks.

[Funding for 3.5 years, stipend (£20,780 p.a) and international fees via Horizon Europe, Synergy grant 'Ecological Archaeologies of the Afrotropics (EcoArch)', project 101224871.] PhD Studentship in Environmental Science: Vegetation-Fire Interactions in Africa during the Holocene The University of Reading invites applications for a fully funded PhD studentship focused on reconstructing vegetation and wildfire regimes across the African continent during the Holocene. This interdisciplinary project is part of the SPECIAL group in Geography and Environmental Science and is funded by the Horizon Europe Synergy grant 'Ecological Archaeologies of the Afrotropics (EcoArch)'. Project Overview: The research aims to synthesize pollen and charcoal data from sites across Africa to document and analyze fundamental changes in vegetation over the past 12,000 years. The project will investigate the complex drivers of these changes, including climate variability, human activity, and natural disturbances such as wildfire. By leveraging advances in reconstruction techniques and the growing availability of palaeoenvironmental data, the student will develop continent-wide reconstructions and analyze the relative importance of climate and human drivers on different timescales. Research Environment: The successful candidate will join the SPECIAL group, an active interdisciplinary team at the University of Reading, and collaborate with international partners at the University of Oslo, Penn State University, and research centers across Africa. While the project is primarily computational, there may be opportunities to participate in fieldwork as part of the EcoArch initiative. Funding: The studentship provides a stipend of £20,780 per annum and covers international tuition fees for 3.5 years. Funding is provided through the Horizon Europe Synergy grant (project 101224871). Eligibility: Applicants should hold a good bachelor’s degree (minimum UK Upper Second (2:1) or equivalent) or a master’s degree in environmental science or a closely related discipline. Strong quantitative and programming skills (R, Python), familiarity with palaeoenvironmental data, and an interest in environmental modelling are essential. The position is open to students worldwide. Application Process: To apply, use the provided application link to create an account and begin the process. Please quote reference ‘DRC26-007’ in the ‘Scholarships applied for’ box within the Funding Section. If prompted for a research proposal, simply paste the project title. The application deadline is March 15, 2026, with an envisaged start date in May 2026. Contact: For further enquiries, contact Dr. Sandy P. Harrison at [email protected]. Successful candidates will receive a formal studentship award letter upon completion of eligibility checks, separate from any offer of admission.